Written by Andreas Babiolakis

What is a television series as a whole without its episodes? Then again, what is a television episode without its affiliated series? I personally find it easier to talk about entire TV series because of their length and complexities. Episodes can stand alone, but I’m usually left resorting to how they fit in with their respective series. I also don’t want to rely on heavy spoilers to dictate why specific episodes resonated so well with me. Having said all of this, there is still much to discuss regarding great television in 2023 (you can also check out my selection of the greatest shows of the year). The one caveat I’ll preface my list with is that I cannot feature multiple episodes from the same show on this list (otherwise, let’s be honest, only three or four shows would wind up here, with one show alone taking up maybe five slots). I want to express some variety so as to showcase what the year had to offer, which, mind you, is a lot. Here are the hours (or half hours) that stood out the most; the ones that never left my mind; the snippets of series that can even stand tall on their own proverbial feet. Here are the ten best television episodes of 2023.

Note: I’ll try not to use heavy spoilers, but there may be at least minor spoilers in each entry. Reader discretion is advised.

10. “Episode 7”-Australian Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains

Australian Survivor? Yes. You read that right. If you have no idea what I mean, you’re missing out (it’s kicking the crap out of its American counterpart at this point). The Heroes vs. Villains season saw a lot of intense moments but none as fierce as the longest tribal council I’ve ever seen (it honestly takes up a third, or maybe even close to half, of an entire episode). George knows he’s in hot water once there’s an individual immunity challenge at tribal, so he gets to scheming right away. Once the votes have been cast, he puts the game at a standstill by forcing the play of another hidden immunity idol in order to save Stevie: the ultimate blackmail if I’ve ever seen it. If Stevie isn’t saved, blood is on the hands of the tribe. If he is, someone else will be slaughtered (who knows who it’ll be). I never thought I’d put an episode of reality television here, but this jaw-dropping turn made for one of the most exciting moments of the year: a lengthy, heated game of wits that had my heart racing.

9. “Dennis Takes a Mental Health Day”-It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Dennis always seemed to be the worst character morally in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, so an episode devoted entirely to his mental state seems weirdly fitting. After his award-worthy turn in BlackBerry, it’s nice to see Glenn Howerton just killing it again in the sitcom that introduced him to the world (remember: there was a point where it seemed like he moved on from the show). In this exposition of rage-filled hilarity, we have Dennis representing the visceral fire we all possess in a world where we have all lost our patience and chill. Of course, if there’s anyone who knows Dennis the best, it’s Dennis himself. Case in point: the abrupt-yet-understandable twist that reminds us that the sitcom is still going sixteen seasons strong, and there’s no room for change in the gang.

8. “Escape From Shit Mountain”-Poker Face

I’m a much larger fan of Rian Johnson’s work on the small screen than in motion pictures, so I of course have to include his finest moment of 2023 with Poker Face’s penultimate episode “Escape from Shit Mountain”; I’d single out my love for Natasha Lyonne in this episode and series, but in doing so I’ll shout out her brilliant acting in His Three Daughters, which I hope gets released next year. Ignore the digression. Lyonne’s Charlie is trapped in a motel and struggling to see another day, and the danger that stalks her reminds me a lot of The Soprano’s “College” (and around as early in this series to boot). With a mixture of laughs and dread, “Escape from Shit Mountain” was the biggest green flag that Poker Face is sizing up to be the next best comedy on TV.

7. “The Verdict”-Jury Duty

I have to be honest. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jury Duty. I thought that the majority of the series should have gone either full-on meta or full-on prank with its experiment to yield the best results. Or so I thought. The saving grace? The poor soul that got wrapped up in the game in the first place: Ronald Gladden. “The Verdict” is such a good closer that it has me considering revisiting the show to see if I was dead wrong about it. It’s a summary of what a good sport, a patient saint, and a yardstick of morality that Gladden embodies, and, thus, a celebration of good character in an era where we are burdened by hostility and selfishness. Any other participant means we maybe wouldn’t have had such a good result. With Gladden as the guinea pig, “The Verdict” turns into a heartwarming thank-you to the kind of person the world needs more of.

6. “Elora’s Dad”-Reservation Dogs

Picking just one episode of the amazing last season of Reservation Dogs is a tough task (you’ll be seeing a similar concern from here on out), but it also feels right to select “Elora’s Dad”: an exposition of tremendous acting between a veteran of the art-form (Ethan Hawke) and a rising star who is going to shine brightly for years (Devery Jacobs, who is already picking up work, including the upcoming sports drama Backspot). Seeing Elora (Jacobs) expelling the demons within her caused by her estranged father whom she has finally found is cathartic and magical. Hawke brings years of regret and guilt to Elora’s dad, and the two have the chemistry of an entire series bottled into a single half-hour episode. You may be wondering what could have been, but that’s precisely the point: her father missed out on her entire life, and Reservation Dogs nails this episode’s purpose.
Honourable Mentions: “Deer Lady”, “Dig”

5. “Questa Lane”-The Curse

My actual favourite episode of The Curse is “Green Queen”, but A) the episode only gets released early next year (so this feels like cheating), and B) I’m still not even able to discuss it yet. The next best episode of this strange, strange series? “Questa Lane”, which is where the truth-blurring thesis really starts to hit the ground running, particularly in the chilling finale where the painful decision to reenact what was once a naturally amicable scenario turns into a plagued, angsty therapy session. “Questa Lane” feels like a turning point of sorts: Whitney gets into her own head for good, Asher’s inner conflicts are impossible to ignore, and the show reveals itself as one of two damaged souls that can never be saved (and yet they keep vying for clemency throughout the remainder of the series).
Honourable Mentions: “Green Queen”, “The Fire Burns On”

4. “It takes a psycho”-Barry

It was tough to predict where Barry was going to go as a series, and it goes to show how true this is because the best episode of the season is the one that, well, barely even features Barry. As we build towards what will become the endgame of Barry, we see the affected lives around him slowly work their way towards the major leap the series will take; while most of the subplots are fascinating in their own right, Hank and Cristobal’s conclusion is one of the biggest blows in 2023 television. It’s so major that even that head-scratching cliffhanger ending feels like a mildly curious moment in comparison. It’s a dark, tragic sequence that reminded me just how direct and masterful the series is amidst its silliness and satire.
Honourable Mentions: “you’re charming”, “wow”, “a nice meal”

3. “Fishes”-The Bear

The Bear blessed us with amazing episode after amazing episode but for me, the biggest standout release is the Christmas from hell known as “Fishes” (although Richie’s time to shine in “Forks” is right behind and must be shouted out). As we flashback to when Michael was still around, we feel the Berzatto family and their loved ones slowly get further and further into each other's skin. Of course, the episode boils over in typical The Bear fashion: with the utmost frenzy. With so much backstory as to how Richie and Carmy became the way that they are, we find a holiday burdened by grief, anxiety, and resentment. Bon appétit! There’s twist after twist up until the alarming end; while you want to find out more about what happened afterwards, you’re likely thrilled that you can finally leave this vicious household.
Honourable Mentions: “Forks”, “The Bear”, “Honeydew”

2. “Long, Long Time”-The Last of Us

This year graced us with two of the greatest episodes in all of television (and both were early in the year, just to tease us). The first is the crushing, romantic fable known as “Long, Long Time” from The Last of Us (in case anyone doubted that a show that’s an adaptation of a zombie, post-apocalyptic video game could ever be this beautiful and emotional). As we watch two one-off characters (Bill and Frank) find love amidst desolation, we are gifted an hour of television that fills our hearts just to break them. “Long, Long Time” survives so well on its own that anyone can watch it and experience its powerful take on falling in love. Even if The Last of Us were to be a disaster for the rest of the series, at least it gave us “Long, Long Time” (and so early on in the series; this is only the third episode!). All else I can say is that this is simply breathtaking.
Honourable Mentions: “Look for the Light”, “Endure and Survive”, “When You’re Lost in the Darkness”

1. “Connor’s Wedding”-Succession

We were all prepared for the end of Succession, but we were not expecting the bombshell that dropped on all of us in an episode as monotonously — yet deceptively — titled as “Connor’s Wedding”. Like… seriously? Connor Roy’s fucking wedding? That’s when… well, you know what… happens? Suddenly, the entire show changes. Just like that. We waited for this moment for the entire series, and it hits us so suddenly and like a ton of bricks (as “it” takes an eternity to transpire, we only learn more and more that this is very much real, there’s no turning back, and Succession is a rare show to have the guts to kill off a major character at the drop of a hat. “Connor’s Wedding” isn’t just the best episode of 2023. It’s flat-out one of the most sensational, astounding, effective episodes of television I think I’ve ever seen. It’s an unusual moment where a TV series makes you feel like time is standing still, that nothing else around you even exists. It’s as daring as it is expertly executed. There really aren’t many episodes of TV this instantly monumental. You watch “Connor’s Wedding”, and you know — right off the bat — that you’ve witnessed a masterpiece of the small screen. Time will only tell how highly regarded this episode will be because there’s no way “Connor’s Wedding” will be considered anything less than perfect as the years roll by. This is a new bar for how prestige dramas will be graded from this point on.
Honourable Mentions: “With Open Eyes”, “America Decides”, “Church and State”

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

The 10 Best TV Episodes of 2023 (by Andreas Babiolakis)